Out in the Rain
by Stopdropanroll
Summary: Corazon and Law have the bad luck of spending an extended time in the rain and Corazon's head stages a mutiny. Fortunately Law is willing to care for him in his weakened state. Rated T for swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**Stopdropanroll: It is my duty inform you that I do not own ONE PIECE.**

 **I tried my best, we'll see how this goes I guess.**

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It began as a simple headache: annoying, but hardly crippling.

Of course, it certainly didn't make Carrying an exceptionally grumpy Law through the pouring rain any more enjoyable. Corazon had tried his best to shield him from the deluge, and for a time his feathered coat had protected them admirably, but after an hour in the storm it and the supplies were soaked through, leaving them both miserable.

When his coat failed he had hunched over Law to keep the worst of the wet off him, but it had hardly done any good. He was slightly dryer for his efforts, but that was the extent he had accomplished. Law was shivering slightly in his arms, and his little body was freezing.

Corazon could barely see through the icy torrents that fell in sheets, but he knew they needed a place to warm up and dry off their clothes. The pain in his head was steadily increasing, and he wanted a place where he could sleep it off. Law could use some rest as well; the kid hated it, but the disease was beginning to take its toll, leaving him weak and tired. Corazon had insisted on carrying him after Law had begun to tire keeping up with his long strides.

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 _They had only been walking for a few hours when Corazon noticed that Law was lagging behind. He watched the way he staggered slightly, and the air of exhaustion that clung to his body like lead weights. He made his decision and stopped, waiting for Law to catch up. Quick as a flash Corazon scooped him up and pulled him over his large feathered shoulder. Law immediately protested._

" _Oi! Cora-san! Put me down, I can walk on my own! If you trip you'll crush me to death under your huge clumsy ass!" He was practically frothing with indignation, his fatigue momentarily forgotten in his anguish._

" _So I won't trip." He replied, arm swinging nonchalantly as an angry ball of fluff squirmed on his shoulder._

 _Tiny hands beat ineffectually into his back, but he kept walking._

 _Ten minutes later he ended up tripping over nothing for the umpteenth time, but to his credit he'd used his head to catch himself while his arm still cradled the reluctantly sleepy brat, resulting in a sort of rainbow shape with his face pushed into the dirt and his butt in the air._

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Now they were both cold and exhausted. They were at their limit.

After about a half an hour of searching Corazon managed to find a small cave in the cliffside. There were signs of previous inhabitants, but the tracks looked to be quite old. A large pile of thankfully dry sticks in the back of the cave would be very useful if they proved to be alone. After further inspection of the interior he concluded that they would not be disturbed for the night and gently swung Law to the floor of the cave. His head was pounding, but before he could attempt to rest he had to make sure Law wouldn't catch a cold.

He checked his pocket. The cigarettes it contained were ruined, but when he clicked his lighter it sparked and a tiny flame appeared. Still usable, then. He dragged the wood into the center of the cave and began building a fire.

Now slightly thankful for his dripping coat when he did not instantly set himself aflame he lit some kindling and coaxed the pile of sticks into warmth. Only then did he turn to Law. The poor kid was still shivering like a leaf, even while he had dozed off. He needed to get those clothes off the brat or he'd probably never get warm.

Corazon dragged himself over the sleeping boy and gently shook him.

"Hey Law, you need to wake up now." Law stiffened slightly, and his eyes flickered open.

"Mmn…" he grumbled, "Cora-san?" He blinked when he caught sight of Corazon's haggard face.

Corazon smiled, noticing the well hidden concern that blossomed on Laws face. "I got a fire going, so take off those wet clothes and get warm."

Law didn't hesitate, eagerly shrugging out of his shirt and setting his hat near the fire to dry, leaving him in shorts. He glanced at Corazon, who had settled himself against the cave wall, still in his usual feathered coat. His eyes were already beginning to close.

"Cora-san, you should take off your clothes too, so they can dry." Law spoke determinedly. The man already looked like shit– there was no telling what would happen if the dumbass fell asleep with his clothes still sopping wet. Most likely he'd get some crazy and completely preventable illness.

Corazon cracked open an eye, staring down at Law with a put upon frown.

Law refused to submit, and gestured with a glare at the puddle growing underneath the clumsy man. "Off! Now!" He commanded.

With a sigh Corazon rose to his feet and let his coat and shirt fall to the ground. He was comfortable enough around Law that he didn't bother trying to cover his scars. The kid had seen worse, and he was too tired to make the effort. He stripped down to his boxers and flopped down again, this time a little closer to the fire. Law nodded, satisfied. Corazon finally let the pain from his aching head and the coldness of his damp body seep away as he welcomely succumbed to sleep.

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Law was awoken by a particularly enthusiastic bird. Little shit! He'd been enjoying sleeping, dammit! He ran a hand through his hair, noting that it was early morning still. It sounded quiet, other than those goddamn birds, so the storm must have stopped sometime during the night.

A soft moan drew his him from his musing. Law peered over at Cora-san, who seemed to still be asleep. The man's face was tense with pain, and he was curled in on himself, shivering slightly. The fire had probably died before he'd warmed up; the man's temperature tended to run cold.

Quickly, Law rose and noiselessly closed the distance between them. The man hadn't looked very well last night; Cora-san had tried not to show it, but every so often he had winced and swayed slightly on his feet. Law frowned. Maybe the man really _did_ get some crazy but preventable disease. He should probably get some fluids and food in him just in case. He rummaged through their packs for something light to eat that had managed to escape a soaking. They didn't have much to work with; leftover rice would have to do, at least until Cora-san was well enough to get more supplies. He set it to warm over the fire and went to check on the executive.

"Cora-san," he said aloud, shaking his arm, "wake up." The man was usually quite a light sleeper, so it didn't take much to get him awake. Sure enough, he stirred, bringing his hand inadvertently to his temples to assuage the vicious pounding he was disappointed to find had not eased with sleep. At least he was finally dry. Mostly.

"What's wrong, Cora-san? Does your head hurt?" Law asked, worried. The man set himself on fire almost daily without batting an eye. Anything that had him wincing like that must be pretty painful.

The man nodded shakily, grunting an affirmative.

"I'll get you some water then." Law said in a tone that shut down any arguments. Corazon nodded again, hand still resting over his eyes. The world was swirling on its axis, as if his meagre sense of balance had betrayed him. The shivering wasn't helping any.

Law returned with a tin of water from the pack, and Corazon drained it in small sips. He allowed Law to palm his forehead, concentrating on fighting off the dizziness that afflicted him. The corners of his mouth quirked up at the easy care the kid displayed. They'd certainly come a long way.

"You're a little warm." He noted.

Law caught the man smirking and scowled. "Shut up."

"Heh. So cute." He mumbled. Law bristled, but refrained from yelling.

"If you think you can manage it you should eat some rice." He harrumphed, still pouting (rather cutely).

Corazon turned his face away and sighed. Law made a muffled noise of exasperation and displeasure.

"Cora-san…" he threatened.

"Fine, fine, i'll have a little. Just give me a minute."

Eating wasn't something he wanted to contemplate just then. If only he could say no to Law's adorably concerned face.

He sighed again.

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Within a few minutes Law had placed a small bowl of steaming, if slightly burnt, rice in his lap and sat to his left, watching him.

Corazon gazed reluctantly at the remains of their last meal. A quick glance at Law's stern face assured him he would not be getting out of this. He grimaced. Well, at least it wasn't bread.

After three tentative spoonfuls he paused, his hand rising once again to rest on his head with a quiet grunt of pain. Ugh. It just wouldn't quit. He heard Law shuffling closer. "Where does it hurt, Cora-San?"

"Mmngh. Here and here," he gestured to his temples and the base of his neck, "it's pretty persistent."

Law hummed in response. "You've had it for a while, haven't you? You seemed off yesterday. Probably caused by the extended time we spent in the rain. Finish as much rice as you can and then go back to sleep."

Ah, sleep. That sounded heavenly. He closed his eyes against a particularly intense round of throbbing, and grimaced. A bowl of rice stood between him and glorious sleep. Who knew that the right circumstances could make something so mundane into such an insurmountable obstacle?

The swirling had intensified somewhat, rising with the beat of his pounding head.

Law watched, slightly alarmed, as Corazon's face rapidly paled. Suddenly, the man slammed the bowl of rice to the ground, one hand pressed to his mouth, the other slung across his stomach.

"Cora-san? Are you going to throw up?" Law asked, readying himself.

The man remained rigid, swallowing harshly, and did not reply.

After a minute he relaxed minutely, feeling secure enough to remove his hand from his mouth, bringing it down to join his other one cradling his abdomen. He was shaking slightly from the unexpected nausea, but the possibility that he would be sick seemed to have passed for the moment.

When he was certain he could move without consequence, Corazon leaned back heavily against the wall of the cave. He heard Law approaching from the side, and his eyes blinked blearily open. The kid's eyes were wide, but his jaw was set with determination and purpose.

"Let me know if you think you can stomach something later on, or if you feel sick again, okay?"

Corazon, who had yet to move from his position, let out a small grunt of confirmation and let his eyes fall closed once more, a look of pained concentration of his face. He soon fell into a restless slumber.

Law gathered up the rice and set it aside for later consumption, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the obviously ill Cora-san. He seemed exhausted. Law saw with some worry that the man's cheeks were now noticeably flushed. He checked the large feather coat for dampness with his hands. It was important to keep him warm now that the man had undoubtedly developed a fever in addition to his headache, but if the coat was not sufficiently dry he would have to make due with the heat from the fire and blankets.

The coat remained damper than Law would have liked, but Cora-san's clothes had dried through completely during the night. Although any layer would be beneficial at that point, the problem now lay in getting the formerly soaked clothes back onto the tall man with what Law estimated would be minimal help from Corazon himself.

"Stupid coat," he muttered to himself, "why couldn't you have just been dry?"

He considered the somewhat daunting task of clothing a man several times his own height without assistance while said man was nearly entirely incapacitated.

He scowled.

Cora-san would pay dearly for this once he was well enough for his revenge to be taken.

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 **I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this, but I adore Rosinante and young Law, so I couldn't help myself. Lemme know if you spot any issues so I can work on making them disappear.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey y'all, it's been a while since I released the first chapter of this, but I'm so grateful to the people who enjoyed it! The reviews were especially encouraging and I really appreciate it. This is for you guys.**

 **AND also because there isn't enough Corazon and Law content out there for my taste.**

 **As always, please let me know if anything needs fixing or if you have any suggestions to improve my writing! I hope it didn't turn out too cheesy...**

 **I do not and will never own ONE PIECE.**

Chapter 2

When Corazon awoke to a painfully familiar ache and a lingering weakness he regretted everything.

He guessed it would have been too much if the universe allowed him sleep through the worst and wake up violently refreshed and pointedly healthy. He wondered vaguely if his body was trying to murder him. Hell, he might even be tempted into helping it.

Wary of the sickness that had crept up on him before, he cracked open his eyes with caution to take stock of the situation. He had not moved from his position against the cave wall, and his back was complaining for it, but there was now a blanket covering him and he was distinctly more clothed than he had been previously.

Though it seemed someone had given up on getting his shirt on properly. And his pants were only pulled halfway up his legs. Huh.

He still felt terrible and beyond tired, but Corazon felt his lips twist into a soft smile as he adjusted his clothes, regardless of threatening way his vision swayed and how much he wished he had remained asleep.

It looked to be around midday. The sun was high and it might have been pleasantly warm now that the rain had passed, but he had always had a cold body temperature. One would think it was because of his height, and yet Doffy always gave heat off like a furnace. Go figure.

At the thought, his head gave a vindictive jab. He winced, and tried to put his brother out of his mind.

Maybe Law knew something that would take the edge off for a while so he could go back to sleep? He could use some water too, his throat felt dry and tight. Corazon scanned the cave without turning his head, knowing it would likely set off the nausea again. He felt his heart drop.

He whipped his head around reflexively, hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy. This turned out to be a mistake when his fears were proven correct and he was forced to scrunch his eyes shut to wait out the wave of dizziness that followed his rash actions. He didn't give a shit.

Where was Law?

Corazon's chest thudded with sudden adrenaline. Had been found by Doffy? Was he already being punished for leaving? Or had the signs of the boy's illness been recognized by some unknown inhabitant of the island? Terrible scenarios flashed through his mind one after another, feeding his growing panic.

Careless of the way his body protested, his eyes shot open and Corazon forced himself to his feet, letting the blanket slide to the floor. He had to save Law no matter what, that boy didn't deserve any more suffering. Not if he could stop it.

With shuffling steps he managed to make it to the cave's opening, straining for some sign of his kid. By the time he squinted painfully into the daylight he was trembling with a combination of nerves and fever, but he saw no hint of Law.

If he was capable of thinking rationally he would have noticed there was no sign of a struggle, and that two nearly empty containers of water were missing along with Law. But he wasn't, and he did not.

Corazon felt his lips forming words, shouting out his kid's name in the desperate hope of a response. He felt himself swaying heavily as he ventured forward.

He registered the feeling of falling and the familiar thud of his body meeting the earth. His head was set spinning with the impact, and he stilled instinctively, unable to bear the spill with his usual nonchalance.

He couldn't stop now, not while Law was in danger!

He struggled to stand up, but his arms were shaking so much he kept slipping back onto the ground. The nausea was once again reaching a crescendo and this time he was helpless to restrain a gag. He finally jerked himself upright in time to start heaving.

When he had finished, exhaustion was creeping back into his bones in addition to the lingering dread. Corazon knew, even in his haze, that he would be no help in the state he was in.

He mustered his strength once more, but his limbs were reluctant to obey. He crawled slowly back to the mouth of the cave, and gingerly propped himself up against the edge. He couldn't be of use unless the spinning died down and he was able to stand again. He would allow himself to rest until that time and no longer. Then he _would_ find his kid.

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After half an hour of tugging, stretching, and hissing quiet curses, Law decided that getting Cora-san back into his clothes was a lost cause. It was surprising that he hadn't woken up just from the disturbance, but he hadn't even twitched. He had just sat there being ridiculously and insufferably _long_.

In the end, Law threw one of the blankets over him and hoped it would be enough.

Law decided to rummage through what remained of their food supplies after the storm. Aside from the unfinished rice and a few old apples, they didn't have much in the way of sustenance. The most pressing concern, the one that set Law's teeth on edge, was that they were running low on water.

Both of their canteens only contained a few mouthfuls at best, frustratingly inadequate considering the older man's current state. It would be very dangerous for both of them if he let Cora-san get too dehydrated.

It pained him to admit it, but Law was weak. Not only was Cora-san deceptively strong, for all his fumbling, but his devil fruit was incredibly useful in evading enemies.

With him out of commission it would be all too easy for one of the Family to kill him and take Law back to Doflamingo.

Law drew his lower lip into his mouth, worrying at the flesh in thought. It was risky venturing out from the relative safety the cave afforded with Cora-san unable to come to his aid should something go wrong, but he was faced with limited options. The recent rain meant soft ground, perfect for leaving a trail, but as long as he didn't wander far...

He was certain he remembered seeing a water source bloated with the downpour nearby when they had trekked past the night before. If he could gather some and boil away the contaminants he would be much better equipped to battle Cora-san's fever.

Law ate little nowadays, so the food would likely last a day or two until the man had recovered somewhat.

He was reluctant to put the man in jeopardy, but he couldn't think of anything else he _could_ do. If he went back into town by himself he would risk drawing more attention to both of them. What's more, he wasn't sure that nobody would recognize his condition if he tried to get help.

Cora-san had been intending to take him to a nearby hospital, so there was potential for someone to see his skin and understand the obvious. He was dying.

Then would come the screams, and the fear.

He shuddered, but pushed the pangs that accompanied this thought. He didn't have time for anything to slow him down, not when Cora-san needed him. Not when he finally had something to lose.

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 **Kind of short, I know. I just wanted to hurry up and get** _ **something**_ **out, or I'll never end up doing it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alllllrighty! Back at it again with the fanfiction and whatnot. If you're reading this, thanks so much for stickin' with me so far!**

 **This chapter is a bit much to be honest. I tend to go a little nuts with the dramatic vocabulary unless someone is around to stop me. And no one is, so sorry if it gets a bit annoying heheh. I did have fun though, so worth it.**

 **Let me know if you guys spot anything that could use some tweaking!**

 **I don't own ONE PIECE.**

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As Law ambled in the vague direction of the stream he'd glimpsed the night before he couldn't help but feel that he'd acted rashly in his hurry to set things right.

His mind was fuzzy in a way that he usually associated with the symptoms of his illness, but he knew for once it was not the true culprit.

The absence of Cora-san had left him feeling unbalanced, precarious. His steady presence and stupid grins had become commonplace to him these last few months, the lack of which was more unsettling than he'd expected it to be.

Accustomed as he was to providing for his own needs, it was troubling to realize just how much he had come to rely on Corazon. While he had grudgingly admitted to himself that he found the man's presence comforting, if somewhat irritating, he felt a little uneasy when faced with frank proof of the bond that had formed between them.

He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. After all, he _had_ conceded to calling him Cora-san; that alone hinted at his affection, deep as he'd tried to bury it initially.

Love and tragedy had become deeply linked within his mind, enough that he'd done his best to shy away from anything close to regard for another person. He knew it would only hurt him in the end, and yet–.

It had been so terribly long since someone had looked at him with the same care he had come to acknowledge in Cora-san's eyes. If he was honest, seeing it displayed so openly stung like disinfectant in a wound.

With his inner musings buzzing in his ears and his brow furrowed Law retraced their steps.

He heard the large stream before he saw it, still rushing wild from the excess liquid. When he drew near enough, he saw that the bank was muddy and steep, though not too far from the water itself. Law knew better than to try and struggle down the slope when it was so flooded.

After walking along the bank for a time, the bed began to widen out, becoming easier to approach. There were scatterings of rocks peeking above the water, something that he noted with an extra amount of caution. It wouldn't do to crack his head open on one of those.

Gathering himself, Law drew near the edge with care. The spot he chose was slightly upstream of a fallen tree whose branches breached the surface. It would be added insurance for his safety on the off chance he fell in. He doubted it would be necessary, but it was better to be overly circumspect than to die horribly. He chuckled humorlessly to himself.

Water hissed around him. The sound was calming but brimming with intensity.

A familiar nothingness yawned in his chest. He missed Cora-san.

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The sun was creeping lower in the sky when Corazon was finally able to pull himself together enough to stand. The simple action took much more energy than usual, more than he had to burn, and yet he spent it gladly. He hated himself for every minute he'd wasted, but he'd had to grit his teeth and let his body rest.

It may have left him able to stand, but with each passing moment more worry bubbled up inside him until he felt he could hardly breathe. If anything had happened to Law while he gave in to his treacherous body's needs, he knew there would be nothing to save him from drowning in his own guilt, not even the reaching hands of the Buddha himself.

It had been snapping at his heels for years now, dogging his every step as Rosinante and gnawing on the brittle bones of Corazon as he was forced to perform unspeakable deeds as his brother's beloved pawn. The blood he'd spilt in the complete silence of those days will fully never fade from his mind, an indelible mark upon his soul that would surely linger all his life. He had no desire to be rid of it. If his devil fruit saw a little more use stifling his screams during the night, so be it.

For all his willingness to atone for his actions with pain, the worst injury to his heart struck him in a different fashion. He had been made to see what his brother had become, to know intimately the horrors and cruelty he had doled out upon a countless number of people. Nonetheless, what was left of Rosinante still could not let go of the love he felt for his big brother.

Oh, he hated him, enough to wish he were dead, but even that did not stop him from imagining what would've happened if things were different; if he didn't have to live in regret, if Doffy could have found happiness without destruction. The brothers they might have been haunted him.

In the past, he had dedicated himself to toppling Doffy's empire, knowing it was most likely an endeavor that he would not escape with his life. Before, no one had ever needed him. Doffy had wanted a strong and deadly Corazon and Sengoku loved Rosinante, but Rosinante was no longer a name he felt much claim to. Rosinante was a marine, did his duty, and worked with the world government to better the lives of the helpless.

What trash. As both Rosinante _and_ Corazon he had watched hundreds of people suffering needlessly, with no one who would lift a finger to help them. Every time he had been presented with such an opportunity he had betrayed the self that desperately wanted to save them, any of them.

He couldn't pretend it didn't tear him apart inside.

Now, things were different. He had broken free from Corazon's cage and abandoned the weight of Rosinante for the name of a gentle and goofy man who lived to make a small, bitter, traumatized child smile again. With every ounce of power he contained, Cora-san would save this one person he had become so fond of, no matter the sacrifice.

He had that much conviction to cling to at the very least.

With trembling legs, Cora-san wobbled towards the treeline, hoping to find some hint that would lead him to Law. At first he saw nothing, the forest debris hiding any sign of footsteps, and his heart sank. Unwilling to give up, he focused on scanning the forest floor once again. His fevered thoughts felt like a skipping record playing the same few lines over and over, clouding his thinking.

Although there were clearly bits of disturbed earth here and there that indicated a small someone's passing, it still took him a few moments to recognize the marks for what they were.

When it finally hit him, he leapt into action as quickly as he could, eyes wide and searching, noting with the barest presence of mind that the footprints were heading in the direction they came from last night.

' _Why would he go back that way?_ ' he wondered, but came to no obvious answer.

The part of him that worried he had been forcefully kidnapped by Doffy was eased to see the lone set of tracks, but the fact that he'd set off alone was itself full of frightening implications. There were too many reasons why he could have gone.

Cora-san knew jumping to conclusions nearly always made everything worse. He knew it, and yet he couldn't stifle the hurt that twisted in his chest. Did Law leave him? Had he decided to abandon the man who had done nothing to help him, just as everyone else had? The possibility was enough to turn his stomach, though it did nothing to stifle the deep need to see the child safe at all costs.

With a supreme effort he set those dark thoughts aside for the time being. It didn't matter why Law had left, only that he was safe. Cora-san had promised himself he would not fail to protect the brat, and he intended to keep that promise. He snapped his fingers, allowing silence to deaden his panting, to quiet the soft rustle of fabric as he struggled forward. No power he yet held could mute his fears.

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 **Hello hello! I hope that was worth the wait, and even if it wasn't, thank you for reading!**

 **The 'ol "incredibly deep childhood trauma" gang is having a rough time. Hopefully everything works out! After a tad more angst, that is.**


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